A former FBI technician and his sister are set to enter guilty pleas in a bid-rigging conspiracy that siphoned at least $350,000 through fraudulent government contracts. Jeffrey Spencer and Christy Evereklian, implicated in manipulating bids for electronic equipment at the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, face charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. According to a news release from the Department of Justice, which was shared by KTLA, the siblings have filed plea agreements.
From 2015 to 2020, Spencer, who was responsible for soliciting bids for electronics, colluded with Evereklian, who cunningly submitted fraudulent bids from her companies. A statement obtained by the Department of Justice confirms that Evereklian used the names of her relatives to conceal her control over the companies. Even after having orchestrated which company would offer the lowest bid, officials added.
The investigation, forming part of the Procurement Collusion Strike Force's efforts, unearthed Evereklian's deceptive practice of utilizing a random number generator to fabricate bids. "Evereklian submitted bids from her own companies to the FBI using the names of her relatives to conceal her control over bidding companies, and she used a random number generator to create the fraudulent bids," the DOJ disclosed. Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy told the Department of Justice.
Upon admitting to the felony offense of conspiracy to defraud the United States, Spencer and Evereklian could each face up to five years in federal prison. Working diligently, the United States Attorney's Office's investigation highlights the ongoing battle against corruption in public procurement. In a plea agreement admitted by Evereklian, it acknowledges that her companies gained at least $350,000 from FBI contracts during the conspiracy. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Pang is prosecuting the case, as the DOJ's Public Information Officer, specified by KTLA.
